


What Can Happen Between Friends

by afteriwake



Series: A Little Holmes [7]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-03
Updated: 2012-07-03
Packaged: 2017-11-09 03:21:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/450681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a rainy day when one of his relationships took a change, hopefully one for the better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Can Happen Between Friends

**Author's Note:**

> So happy to know people like the Sherlock/Molly direction this series took. Here’s the next step in that relationship.

It did not take long for the sling to come off, and though his shoulder would occasionally ache, especially when it was cold, he found he could function well enough to resume his daughter’s care. It pleased him the first time he was able to pick her up out of the crib. She was working on trying to stand now, and seemed very determined to do that, though not well enough that she didn’t need support.

Irene heard about the kidnapping attempt, somehow. Despite being in hiding she still had her sources apparently. She sent Sherlock a letter, postmarked from Quebec, saying she was glad Abigail was safe and she was sorry she had ever gotten involved with Moriarty, and was glad he was dead. There had been a gift for their daughter included, and while it was not something she could use yet, being a locket with room for two pictures, he kept it for an appropriate time. The letter he kept as well.

There had been a gap between letters, and he found himself wondering if she truly was moving on from not having her daughter and if she was back to her old schemes again. But as often as he wondered that he also was glad she had left. He could not imagine the two of them trying to raise Abigail together. He doubted he would have done as much changing, or been as involved, if she was in the picture constantly. He didn’t doubt his daughter had enough loving people in her life without her mother’s presence. There was John and Mrs. Hudson and Molly, and even Lestrade, though grudgingly. She had good people around her, and he felt confident she would grow into a normal child and hopefully not turn out like he had.

About a week after he got the sling off, he invited Molly over to spend some time with them. She admitted she had been going stir crazy trying to find things to occupy her time. She missed her work, she missed Abigail, and while he couldn’t do anything about work he could certainly let her spend time with his daughter. It was raining when she came over, and he came out with an umbrella when he saw she had pulled up, He held it over her as she got out of the car and into the house.

“You got soaked,” she said when they were inside the front hallway. “I’m sorry it took so long to get out of the car.”

“Think nothing of it,” he said, leaning the wet umbrella against the wall near the door. “I know you’re not supposed to get plaster casts wet and with it raining so much that was bound to happen.”

“Thank you for that,” she said with a smile. “Good to see you out of the sling.”

“It still aches,” he said with a slight shrug. “But I can use it again. That’s the important part.”

“You should at least change your shirt,” she said. “You’re going to get sick if you stay in it.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” he said. “Abigail’s in the bassinet if you want to say hello.”

“I do,” she said. She headed to the common room and he headed to his room. He had forgotten to do his laundry this week and had run out of clean shirts thanks to Abigail deciding most of the week to spit up the solids they were trying to feed her. The state of John’s wardrobe was similar. One of these days they’d remember not to hold her so soon after she ate. Frowning, he threw on one of the few T-shirts he owned and went out to them. He needed to feed her soon anyway and he didn’t care if this got food on it.

Molly was running the fingers of her cast-less hand across Abigail’s chest and belly, tickling her. Abigail was laughing and he paused to watch the situation. Both of them looked pleased with the game and he didn’t want to interrupt. But soon enough Molly noticed he was there. “New look?”

“I have baby food on most of my other shirts and haven’t done laundry yet,” he said. “I need to feed her soon and I’m not as concerned about this shirt.”

“You look nice in more casual wear,” she said. “I’m kind of wondering what you’d look like in denim trousers.”

“Maybe one day you’ll find out,” he said.

She grinned. “It will probably be a while, though. You’re so used to your impeccable suits.”

“Perhaps when she’s older,” he said.

“Maybe.” She looked over at Abigail. “I missed spending time with her.”

“You’re more than welcome to come over when John or I are home,” he said. “I think she may have been getting rather tired of us.”

“I doubt it,” she said. “You’re her dad. She’s only going to get tired of you when she’s a teenager, but she’ll still love you.”

“I don’t want to think that far into the future,” he said, sitting beside her on the couch. “There’s going to be a lot of questions, ones I’m not particularly looking forward to answering.”

“About her mother?” she asked, and he nodded. “You’ll have plenty of time before she asks. But just remember to remind her that there are others who love her dearly, and she should be fine. I would know.”

“Oh?” he asked.

“My mother walked out on my father when I was two. She wanted to go to America, make a name for herself in show business. My brother was four at the time. She died when I was eight. I don’t remember anything about her, but I know that my father loved me very much and he kept others around who did as well. When he met the woman who became my stepmother he made sure we all got along well. There were times growing up I didn’t want either of them involved in my life, but I never hated them because I knew they loved me. I had a rocky patch when I was sixteen, but other than that I had a very normal childhood.”

“I never knew that,” he said. 

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Sherlock,” she said with a grin. “I think I know more about you than you know about me.”

“Then perhaps I should learn,” he said, leaning back in his seat. “Tell me more about yourself.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

He nodded. “I think I would like to learn more about you, Molly.”

“All right,” she said with a nod. She began to talk to him, starting from her childhood. He listened intently, even when it came time to feed Abigail. The more he learned about her the more he felt he had misjudged her for the longest time. She had been through quite a bit in her life, and he could see how it had shaped her into the woman she had become.

She winded down the stories about four hours later, and he found he wanted to hear more. But then she asked about him and his childhood, and soon he was the one recounting a childhood he didn’t talk about often and she was listening intently. He had almost finished when John returned home. “Don’t mind me, just dropping stuff off and changing for a date,” he said.

“Oh, it’s been a long time since I’ve been on a date,” Molly said with a grin. “What are you going to do?”

“The basics. Dinner and a film,” he said with a grin. “I’m letting Maria choose. I’m even prepared for the possible romantic comedy.”

Molly laughed. “If I got taken out to the cinema I would not put my date through a romantic comedy. I like watching those at home.”

“What do you like watching on the big screen?” John asked.

“Action films. Explosions are so much more fun on the big screen. I go and see every action film I can, even the bad ones, when they’re out in theaters. I’m most looking forward to Avengers Assemble,” she replied. “I saw all the other films leading up to it.”

“I saw the Iron Man films, and Thor. I liked Thor the best,” John said.

“You should watch Captain America. That was my favorite.”

“Are those films based on comic books?” Sherlock asked.

Molly nodded. “Yes. They’re all Marvel Comics characters. My brother used to read the comics all the time so I knew who everyone was before they started making the films.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever read comic books,” he said with a frown.

“I own all of the films,” Molly said. “If you want, I can maybe bring them over next time I visit and you could borrow them, if you’re interested.”

“I think I might like that,” he said. “I don’t normally watch films, but I’ll make an exception for this.”

“You’re going to have to get used to going to the cinema eventually,” Jon said with a chuckle. “And children’s telly, too. Your daughter’s going to want to see them.”

“I hadn’t thought about that,” he said, and then he sighed. “I suppose that just means more changes for me.”

“I think you’ll over analyze everything,” John said with a smirk.

“Possibly,” he agreed. “But it wouldn’t hurt to do more normal things, I suppose.”

“Well, I can come back tomorrow with the Marvel films,” Molly said.

“If you’d like to stay and watch them with me I wouldn’t say no,” Sherlock said.

“Sure,” she said with a smile. “There’s only four of them, so that would be a good way to spend the day. What time do you want me to come over?”

“Ten?” he suggested.

“All right, I’ll be here at ten.”

Sherlock grinned slightly. “Hopefully it won’t be raining, so I don’t need to get wet again.”

She laughed. “Yes, I hope it’s a dry day too.”

“Well, I’m off to change, and then I’m leaving. He went over to the crib and smiled down at Abigail. “Wish your Uncle John good luck.” Abigail laughed in response. “I guess that’s as close as I’ll get.”

“Have fun,” Molly said. He left the room and she turned to Sherlock. “I guess I should get going, too. I need to get something for dinner.”

“Stay,” he said. “I can order something.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

He nodded. “I’ve enjoyed your company today. I’d like to enjoy it a little longer.”

“Oh. All right,” she said with a nod. “I was just going to order Chinese when I got home.”

“I know a good restaurant that delivers,” he said, pulling out his phone. “What are you interested in?”

“Sweet and sour pork,” she said. “And eggrolls. Or wontons, if they have them.”

“What type of side?” he asked, pulling up the phone number.

“Fried rice.”

He nodded, then called the restaurant and placed the order for her food as well as what he wanted to eat. He hung up and settled back into the couch. “I should have asked you over to visit earlier,” he said.

“It’s okay. I’m sure you were enjoying time alone with your daughter,” she said with a smile.

“I was,” he said. “But I supposed I had missed spending time with people aside from John and Mrs. Hudson.”

“Haven’t had a case yet?” she said.

He nodded. “Lestrade hasn’t called me, and the cases we’ve gotten from John’s blogging have been relatively easy and I haven’t needed to do much for them.”

“You must be bored,” she said.

“In some ways,” he said. “I’ve been enjoying time with Abigail, though, so that makes it easier. She’s trying to stand on her own.”

“I'd seen that the last time I babysat,” she replied. “I think she wants to do everything quickly. She’s nearly seven months old, and she wants to be a year old already.”

“I don’t want her to grow up too fast,” he said. “Well, part of me does. Or at least wants to get to the point where she can sleep through the night and be speaking.”

She chuckled. “All parents are like that,” she said. “Oh! I had snapped a picture of her on my phone that night. The first time I saw her try and stand.” She reached over for her purse and pulled her phone out, then went to her pictures. She pulled it open and showed it to Sherlock. He moved closer to her and looked at it, a grin on his face.

“That is a nice picture,” he said. “Had you heard her laugh before that night?”

She shook her head. “No, I hadn’t.”

“Then I got to hear her first laugh,” he said. “She crawled out of the locker onto my lap and laughed when I told her she was safe.”

“That’s the kind of memory you don’t forget,” she said. “It will make an interesting story to tell her when she’s older.”

“Yes, that her first laugh was the night she got kidnapped," he said wryly. 

“Every child has something outlandish happen to them. Just usually not that.” She turned to look at him. He was still close, and he wasn’t sure he should move back to where he had been sitting. “I’ll be able to babysit again in about a month and a half,” she said.

“That will be good,” he said quietly. “But…I would like to see you before then. I mean, if you want to.”

“Oh. Yes, I would like that,” she said with a nod. “I’d like to see both of you more often.”

“Not just Abigail?” he asked, looking at her intently.

“No, not just her,” she said. “I like you too, you know.”

“I know," he replied. “You see me as a friend.”

“I still like you as more than a friend,” she said quietly, blushing slightly. “But I do see you as a friend. If that’s all it’s ever going to be, I’m okay with that.”

“Ah,” he said, nodding slightly. He was quiet for a moment. “I’ve been thinking about things since you were last here.”

“Oh?” she asked.

“I’m absolute rubbish at relationships. I’m not sure I would ever be a good boyfriend, let alone more than that. There are parts of me that are dark and scary and I don’t show them often.”

She nodded. “I see.”

“Still…I would like to try.”

“You would?” she asked, surprised.

He nodded slowly. “I have thought about that kiss. I don’t let anyone that close. But I let you kiss me. At the end, I started to kiss you back. And I’ve spent some time trying to figure out why.”

“Everyone wants someone to be close to,” she said, looking down. He could see her blush getting deeper.

“But I am not everyone. I’ve made it very hard for people to get close to me,” he said. “But you’ve tried. You didn’t stop trying. And I’m wondering if today I haven’t let you get closer. I hadn’t planned on it, but…” He reached over and tilted her face up so she was looking at him. “I would like to try with you.”

She looked at him for a moment. “Are you sure?” she asked.

“Fairly sure,” he said. “Enough that I would like to try to have a normal relationship with you.”

“Oh,” she said. “All right.”

“So that’s a yes?” he asked.

“Yes, that’s a yes,” she said with a smile.

He leaned in closer and kissed her. She was surprised at first, but soon enough she kissed him back. He moved a hand up to her hair and tangled his fingers in it, enjoying the kiss. He had been kissed before and not enjoyed it as much. This felt different, and he found himself forgetting for a moment that he needed to breathe until it became absolutely necessary. They pulled apart and she smiled at him, which quickly became a look of surprise. He turned, and saw John standing in the doorway, shocked look on his face.

“Wasn’t expecting that,” he said.

“Me either,” Molly said with a slight giggle.

“You could do a hell of a lot worse, Sherlock,” he said finally, giving them both a grin. “Have fun, you two.”

Molly laughed. “You too, John.” Sherlock turned so his back was against the sofa, and Molly leaned back as well. “So…now what?”

“Dinner, as soon as it gets here. And there’s still more I’d like to talk to you about.” He looked at her, then reached over hesitantly and took her cast-less hand in his. She threaded her fingers in between his and looked at him. “You’ll have to help me figure out exactly what I’m supposed to do in a relationship. I’ve avoided them my entire life.”

“I’ll teach you well,” she said. “I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” he said with a nod. “Thank you for giving me a chance.”

She leaned over and kissed him softly. “I should thank you for taking a chance with me,” she said when she pulled away.

“Then you’re welcome.”

“You’re welcome, too.” She moved closer and put her head on his shoulder. All in all, this turn of events had gone better than he would have hoped.


End file.
